Domestic ad revenue down 9% with media networks reporting similar drop in operating income
Viacom reported a 9% drop in dometic ad revenue in the first quarter with worldwide ad sales down 11%. Net earnings for the first quarter were down 34%, to $177 million.
The company’s media networks, which include the MTV Networks group [...]
Archive for April, 2009
Viacom Revenue Down 7 percent in Q1
Posted in News on April 30, 2009 | Comments Off
AFTRA, SAG Seek Members’ Approval for Commercials Deal
Posted in News on April 30, 2009 | Comments Off
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors Guild will send ballots to members April 30 seeking ratification of the proposed commercials contract that union negotiators forged with advertisers earlier this month.
AFTRA’s and SAG’s approximately 150,000 commercial performers will receive ballots; about 45,000 dual cardholders will receive one ballot each. [...]
Franken Victory Looms Larger With Specter Switch
Posted in News on April 30, 2009 | Comments Off
Coleman may "dig in his heels" in effort to deny Dems filibuster-proof 60th Senate seat
Democrat Al Franken could become the key to a veto-proof majority after the announcement by Republican Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) that he is switching parties.
Franken, a former Saturday Night Live writer and performer, is in a legal battle over [...]
Reinventing the Book in the Age of the Web
Posted in News on April 30, 2009 | Comments Off
There’s a lot of excitement about ebooks these days, and rightly so.
While Amazon doesn’t release sales figures for the Kindle, there’s no question that it represents a turning point in the public perception of ebook devices. And of course, there’s Stanza, an open ebook platform for the iPhone, which has been downloaded more than [...]
CBS Moves ‘Harper’s Island’ to Saturday
Posted in News on April 27, 2009 | Comments Off
Ratings-challenged drama’s finale set for July 11
By James Hibberd
Saturday night is starting to get pretty popular.
After three episodes, CBS is moving struggling mystery thriller "Harper’s Island" from Thursdays to Saturday nights starting May 2. Newsmagazine "48 Hours Mystery" will take the drama’s place.
"Harper’s" hit a modest note out of the gate, [...]
Frequently Asked Photo Questions for April
Posted in News on April 27, 2009 | Comments Off
Photo Recovery Software
Is there a photo recovery software program out there that actually works? –Rose Keller, Longmont, Colorado
I hear some frustration in that question, Rose.
I’ve used several photo recovery programs, and most of them do a good job–as long as you understand their limitations. Like any file recovery program, [...]
WGA Coming To Washington To Lobby Congress Next Week
Posted in News on April 27, 2009 | Comments Off
Will also host evening with comedy writers about increasing role of comedy shows as news outlets
By John Eggerton — Broadcasting & Cable
The Writers Guild of America will be in town May 8 to lobby Congress on some of their key issues, including funding for public broadcasting (WGAE President Michael Winship is a senior writer [...]
Networks Scaling Back Upfront Soirees
Posted in News on April 27, 2009 | Comments Off
Attendees will see lower-key festivities for a second year
For a second year in a row, there will be scaled-back presentation parties and fewer Hollywood types in New York during primetime week.
"It used to be that everyone and their mother would go to the upfronts," a network executive said. "Now it’s all about ad [...]
ABC O&Os Launch Digital Network
Posted in News on April 27, 2009 | Comments Off
Stations look to ‘Live Well’ on subchannels
ABC’s 10 owned stations will launch a new digital channel, Live Well HD Network, April 27 with three hours of daily original programming produced primarily by the stations themselves. The network is ad-supported; stations represent major markets such as New York and Los Angeles.
The female-targeted, hi-def network focuses on home, health and lifestyle. It will launch with six half-hour programs, including the design show Home With Lisa Quinn, the cooking program Let’s Dish and the outdoor-themed Motion. Live Well is run by WLS Chicago President/General Manager Emily Barr and the O&Os’ Digital Media Executive VP Bill Burton.
Live Well will co-exist alongside digital channels such as Accuweather at the ABC stations, and will stream on LiveWellHD.com. Barr and Burton say the project was almost two years in the making.
“We always thought an additional channel posed great opportunity,” Barr says. “We thought we’d create a channel that doesn’t look particularly local, but has appeal to broadcast viewers.”
ABC wants other stations to Live Well as well; the group is in talks with multiple station groups about bringing the channel to rival digital tiers.
read the entire article from Broadcasting & Cable Magazine
FiOS Is Latest To Reach Univision Retransmission Pact
Posted in News on April 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Multiyear Deal Also Covers National Feeds For TeleFutura, Galavision, Stations
Continuing its run of retransmission-consent deals, Univision Communications Inc. has reached a multiyear deal with Verizon’s FiOS TV.
Under the agreement, FiOS will continue to carry the network feeds of Univision and broadcast brethren TeleFutura, as well as cable network Galavision. Moreover, the pact provides [...]
